High flow accumulator device having poppet valve control means

Abstract

An accumulator device is characterized in the provision of plural mechanisms for maintaining the oil port sealing valve member in open position, one said mechanism comprising a spring and the other comprising a control device member which may be activated to its valve stem releasing condition responsive to pressure drops of a predetermined magnitude or after a predetermined time interval.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
       1. A pressure accumulator comprising a rigid container having a gas port and an oil port, a deformable partition in said container intervening between said ports and defining a gas chamber in communication with said gas port and an oil chamber in communication with said oil port, a fitting connected to said oil port having a valve seat at its inner end, a poppet valve associated with said valve seat, a valve stem extending axially in said fitting and having one end thereof secured to said poppet valve, resilient means normally urging said poppet valve to open position with respect to said valve seat, said fitting having port means for charging of said oil chamber and for discharge of oil under pressure therefrom, additional means associated with said valve stem to restrain movement of said poppet valve from said open position against the force resulting from high flow past said poppet valve into said fitting and discharging through said port means, and means cooperating with said additional means to decouple said additional means from said stem to permit movement of said poppet valve to closed position against said seat when required to prevent extrusion of said partition through said oil port. 
     
     
       2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means cooperating with said additional means comprises a pressure sensing device. 
     
     
       3. A pressure accumulator comprising a rigid container having a gas port and an oil port, a deformable partition in said container intervening between said ports and defining a gas chamber in communication with said gas port and an oil chamber in communication with said oil port, a fitting connected to said oil port having a valve seat at its inner end, a poppet valve associated with said valve seat, a valve stem extending axially in said fitting and having one end thereof secured to said poppet valve, resilient means normally urging said poppet valve to open position with respect to said valve seat, said fitting having port means for charging of said oil chamber and for discharge of oil under pressure therefrom, additional means comprising an electromagnetic member associated with said valve stem and interposed between said fitting and said stem to restrain movement of said poppet valve from said open position against the force resulting from high flow past said poppet valve into said fitting and discharging through said port means, and means cooperating with said additional means to release said additional means to permit movement of said poppet valve to closed position against said seat when required to prevent extrusion of said partition through said oil port. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said electromagnetic member comprises a coil in fixed position within said fitting and an armature mounted on said stem in proximate spaced relation to said coil in the open position of said valve. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said coil surrounds said armature and said coil and stem are in coaxial alignment. 
     
     
       6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 and including a supply conduit leading to said oil port, said additional means comprises a pressure sensing means, said pressure sensing means being disposed in said conduit, a source of electrical current normally connected to said coil, said pressure sensing means being effective to automatically interrupt current flow to said coil responsive to the sensing of pressures in said conduit of a predetermined low value.